Cradle and crib for children



(No Model.)

' H. H. WIGGERS.

CRADLE AND CRIB FOR CHILDREN. No. 260,146. I Patented June 27,1882

N. PETERS. Pholo-ljlhographen Wuihinglon D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

HENRY WIGGERS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CRADLE AND CRIB FOR CHILDREN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,146, dated June 27, 1882.

I Application filed May 5, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. WIGGERS, of the city of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cradles and Cribs for Ohildren,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is a childs bed and cradle the body of which is mounted upon springs, so as to cause a gentle springy tilting motion in the direction of the length of the bed, or at a right angle to that usually given to cradles. This arrangement admits of the cradle being drawn up close alongside of a bed at night and the child removed and replaced or the cradle rocked with great convenience. The object also is to make the cradle nearly imitate the natural movements of the mother when caressing the child in her arms, thus tending to soothe the child instead of making it dizzy, as the rolling motion of the ordinary cradle does.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-letters indicate like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cradle, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal-central vertical section of the rocking member and a portion of one of the supporting-standards, the latter shown in elevation.

The rocking member A may be of any approved design or pattern, as may also be the supporting-stand B. Theform of stand I have shown is a rectangular frame composed of end and side rails framed into four legs,O, at the corners, and two legs, D, which are located a little more than one third the length of the cradle back from the head end of the side rails. Theselegs extend upward,formingstandards upon each side of the frame to support the body through metal springs E, which are secured by bolts to the sides of the standardlegs D and to the bottoms of the side rails of the body A, respectively.

The steel springs E, which support the body and permit it to vibrate, are made preferably of flat strips curved to the form shown. The bolts which secure it to the lower edge of the body-rail pass through longitudinal slots in the spring. Thisarrangement is to provide for longitudinal adjustment of the vibrating member with relation to its support to equally balance the same. The spring may be secured upon either the head or foot sides of legs D, so that with the slots in the horizontol portion of the spring considerable latitude for adjustment isprovided.

Secured uponone of the lower rails of body A is a swinging arm, F. This has a notch at the free end to engage a screw or pin secured in the side rail of stand B and change the cradle to a stationary 'crib, as seen in dotted line, Fig. 1. The arm F is heldup against the side of the body-rail by a notched button,Gr,eccentricallyjournaled upon a screw in said rail.

One of the upper rails of the body A is recessed upon the inside to receive a bar, II. This bar is hinged or pivoted at the head end to fold within said recess, or to be turned across the cradle to the opposite rail. The free end of this arm is provided with a flush-bolt tohold it in the recess when folded, and to enter a hole in the opposite rail and hold it in' that position. The object of this arrangement .is to provide a support in front of the child when sitting up, as in a childs chair, as well as to keep the clothing in place and to prevent the child from falling out.

J is a rod, which slides through a perforation in the head-rail and a perforated block, j, secured upon the side rail underneath the bedslats. It is provided with a knot at the outer end, by which it may be drawn out or pushed in, and a pin at the inner end to stop it from being drawn too far. There may be one or more of these arranged either at the head or foot of the cradle, over which to hang the childs diapers or clothing.

Instead of using two springs, as E, and the two standard-legs D, a single spring secured upon a standard in the center of the platform and to a cross-brace extending from rail to rail underneath the bodyAmay be substituted; and I do not limit myself to the particular form of spring shown, although I believe it to be the best.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p 1. In a childs cradle, the combination, substantially as set forth, of the stand or platform and springs, as E, secured to said stand, with cradle-body A, mounted at a point inter- 4. In a childs cradle, the combination, substantially as specified, of the cradle-body A with the swinging arm H, said arm being hinged at one end to the upper rail of the body, and having a bolt or catch at the free end to hold the arm either against the top-rail or across the cradle, as desired.

HENRY H. WIGGERS.

Witnesses:

GEO. J. MURRAY, HORATIO V. ORoLL. 

